Hitherto, as described in, for example, Patent Literature 1, there has been known a shock absorbing member (coupling member) to be provided in a vehicle cabin so as to extend in a vehicle width direction, and to couple a pair of right and left center pillars together. When the shock absorbing member is subjected to a compressive load in its longitudinal direction in the event of side collision, the shock absorbing member is bent so as to absorb shock caused by the side collision. The shock absorbing member is formed into a rectangular column shape so that side surface portions of a rod upper panel, which is provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and is open downward, and side surface portions of a rod lower panel, which is provided so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and is open upward, are joined together by arc welding at positions interspaced in the vehicle width direction. In this manner, portions that have undergone arc welding and portions that have not undergone arc welding are formed in the side surface portions of the shock absorbing member, and thus strength of the shock absorbing member against the compressive load in the longitudinal direction is varied, With this configuration, in the event of side collision, a bending position of the shock absorbing member is specified.